I understand why people want Millsap, but we can't trade for him now because Utah doesn't want Bargs and Demar wouldn't be enough to get it done. he's not even making enough money for the salaries to balance. Even trading Demar would have to wait until after this season when his extension kicks in. But then, Millsap will also like a raise, so again, Demar will likely not be enough, and then we're talking about giving up extra assets that we can't afford. They probably wouldn't want Fields or Bargs. They might want Lowry but then we'd have no PG. Do you give up Ross? or JV? or Amir? Then you're just opening up more holes.....I just can't see a way to get Millsap that could work. We just don't have a piece or the combination of pieces that would either get it done, or we could afford to part with for someone who's never made an all-star game.

I understand why people want Millsap, but we can't trade for him now because Utah doesn't want Bargs and Demar wouldn't be enough to get it done. he's not even making enough money for the salaries to balance. Even trading Demar would have to wait until after this season when his extension kicks in. But then, Millsap will also like a raise, so again, Demar will likely not be enough, and then we're talking about giving up extra assets that we can't afford. They probably wouldn't want Fields or Bargs. They might want Lowry but then we'd have no PG. Do you give up Ross? or JV? or Amir? Then you're just opening up more holes.....I just can't see a way to get Millsap that could work. We just don't have a piece or the combination of pieces that would either get it done, or we could afford to part with for someone who's never made an all-star game.

If the Raptors wait until the offseason and get under the luxury tax level (amnesty Kleiza, let Haddadi & Pietrus walk), then standard trade rules apply. The Raps could trade DeRozan straight-up in a S&T, with Millsap signing a contract that starts at anything up to $11.975M for the 2013-14 season.

[(DeRozan's $9.5M salary * 1.25)+$100,000] = $11.975M

I'm warming up to the idea of keeping both DeRozan and Bargnani for the rest of this season, then making long-term decisions on both in the offseason.

If the Raptors wait until the offseason and get under the luxury tax level (amnesty Kleiza, let Haddadi & Pietrus walk), then standard trade rules apply. The Raps could trade DeRozan straight-up in a S&T, with Millsap signing a contract that starts at anything up to $11.975M for the 2013-14 season.

[(DeRozan's $9.5M salary * 1.25)+$100,000] = $11.975M

I'm warming up to the idea of keeping both DeRozan and Bargnani for the rest of this season, then making long-term decisions on both in the offseason.

So if he gets any offers more than $12 million, we'll have a hard time making it worth Utah's while, probably. If another team offers him more, there's no reason he wouldn't take it. I'm sure he'd ask Utah if they would do a sign and trade, but if the team can still sign him, and Utah doesn't want anythign they have, he could just walk. Utah still has no real power in that situation, so it's banking on Millsap not getting any good offers, and no other teams being able to offer a better package than Demar DeRozan.

*I defnitely want to keep Demar, and see no reason not to keep him going into next season....I want Bargs gone, but smartly, so if that has to wait til the summer, I'm fine with it. Two weeks ago I was worried because I had to convince people that it wasn't worth just dumping him and taking crap (eg. Tyrus Thomas) back. Now I'm convincing them it's worth taking Ilyasova, a cheaper, better defensive/boarding option, and debating the merits of acquiring vets like Boozer/Gasol...things are definitely looking up, all in all

So if he gets any offers more than $12 million, we'll have a hard time making it worth Utah's while, probably. If another team offers him more, there's no reason he wouldn't take it. I'm sure he'd ask Utah if they would do a sign and trade, but if the team can still sign him, and Utah doesn't want anythign they have, he could just walk. Utah still has no real power in that situation, so it's banking on Millsap not getting any good offers, and no other teams being able to offer a better package than Demar DeRozan.

*I defnitely want to keep Demar, and see no reason not to keep him going into next season....I want Bargs gone, but smartly, so if that has to wait til the summer, I'm fine with it. Two weeks ago I was worried because I had to convince people that it wasn't worth just dumping him and taking crap (eg. Tyrus Thomas) back. Now I'm convincing them it's worth taking Ilyasova, a cheaper, better defensive/boarding option, and debating the merits of acquiring vets like Boozer/Gasol...things are definitely looking up, all in all

The way I'm starting to see it, is that the future of DeRozan and Bargnani on the Raptors could be tied to each other. I don't see the Raps being able to acquire a legit starting PF for Bargnani (there are pros/cons to sideways deals like those for Gasol, Boozer or Ilyasova). Bargnani could be used to get a good backup PG and an extra wing, while DeRozan could be used to land a good PF; but either of those moves without the other creates a hole, which the other is meant to fill.

The way I'm starting to see it, is that the future of DeRozan and Bargnani on the Raptors could be tied to each other. I don't see the Raps being able to acquire a legit starting PF for Bargnani (there are pros/cons to sideways deals like those for Gasol, Boozer or Ilyasova). Bargnani could be used to get a good backup PG and an extra wing, while DeRozan could be used to land a good PF; but either of those moves without the other creates a hole, which the other is meant to fill.

I like the idea of going after a low post scorer as well, but I'm starting to get the sense that there is a panic among fans in the forum to have our rotation of the future nailed down by this trade deadline. That doesn't need to be the case as we can get our PF of the future down the line. Plenty of teams are playing chicken with the luxury tax and sooner or later they'll be looking to unload talent for some tax releif. If there isn't a trade that is realistically available before the deadline or even this off season then I'm okay with putting Amir and JV out there next season in the starting line up. At least we know that rebounding, shot blocking and post D is covered.

I actually wouldn't mind going after a player like OJ Mayo. He's a legit perimeter scorer which this team needs, can handle some minutes playing PG and is another player whom can create for both himself as well as others. Perhaps DeMar for Mayo straight up? Not sure how salaries match up.

My thought is that if we can't get a legit low post scorer we could follow OKC's model to some degree and surround our bigs with high level scorers like Gay, Mayo and Lowry. Thoughts?

I like the idea of going after a low post scorer as well, but I'm starting to get the sense that there is a panic among fans in the forum to have our rotation of the future nailed down by this trade deadline. That doesn't need to be the case as we can get our PF of the future down the line. Plenty of teams are playing chicken with the luxury tax and sooner or later they'll be looking to unload talent for some tax releif. If there isn't a trade that is realistically available before the deadline or even this off season then I'm okay with putting Amir and JV out there next season in the starting line up. At least we know that rebounding, shot blocking and post D is covered.

I actually wouldn't mind going after a player like OJ Mayo. He's a legit perimeter scorer which this team needs, can handle some minutes playing PG and is another player whom can create for both himself as well as others. Perhaps DeMar for Mayo straight up? Not sure how salaries match up.

My thought is that if we can't get a legit low post scorer we could follow OKC's model to some degree and surround our bigs with high level scorers like Gay, Mayo and Lowry. Thoughts?

I think the panic stems from getting something of value from Bargnani before his trade value erodes even further. Now it could as well but I don't have a lot of confidence.

I like the idea of going after a low post scorer as well, but I'm starting to get the sense that there is a panic among fans in the forum to have our rotation of the future nailed down by this trade deadline. That doesn't need to be the case as we can get our PF of the future down the line. Plenty of teams are playing chicken with the luxury tax and sooner or later they'll be looking to unload talent for some tax releif. If there isn't a trade that is realistically available before the deadline or even this off season then I'm okay with putting Amir and JV out there next season in the starting line up. At least we know that rebounding, shot blocking and post D is covered.

I actually wouldn't mind going after a player like OJ Mayo. He's a legit perimeter scorer which this team needs, can handle some minutes playing PG and is another player whom can create for both himself as well as others. Perhaps DeMar for Mayo straight up? Not sure how salaries match up.

My thought is that if we can't get a legit low post scorer we could follow OKC's model to some degree and surround our bigs with high level scorers like Gay, Mayo and Lowry. Thoughts?

I would make a DeRozan for Mayo swap without hesitation. But unfortunately, the salaries don't match.

I think the panic stems from getting something of value from Bargnani before his trade value erodes even further. Now it could as well but I don't have a lot of confidence.

The reality is that there might not be anything of value to us to be had for Bargnani. Could be a situation where we have to sell low. There's a reason why he isn't gone as yet, and it's not because he was injured (see Bynum, Bogut).